Weekend Forecast

Friday (and yes! I’m late with this–mea culpa–and spellchecker just suggested I replace that with ‘mint julep’–what a good idea!) may be dominated by the T-square formed by Mercury’s incursion into Cancer, where it opposes long-time downer Pluto and squares Self-focused (in a good way) and vengeful (in a bad way) Juno at 00 Aries. It suggests multiple possible dynamics that have any combination of these elements in common: communications that are caring, mothering, smothering, tender, sensitive, and/ or food (!) or emotion centered; energy or forces keyed to change, destruction, transformation, power, what’s hidden, and/ or getting below the surface; and the need to establish place and/ or authority within a situation, to gauge one’s power, to command respect for one (based in one’s status), and/ or to empower (and all these latter centered on any form of partnership/ co-operative association). So, the Juno need for empowerment will create some form of conflict with both the need to change (Pluto) and our communications, given and received (words, to include writing, thoughts, ideas–and we should add the thought forms of the psyche that give our mental constructs such power in the first place). Especially for those who are mental/ Air oriented, this can be an exhausting day, though it need not be unpleasant or upsetting–it will definitely measure your own sense of security within your sphere, so use events and reactions to today’s happenings as a guide in revealing where you might feel inadequate or threatened, and remedy accordingly.

Saturday, the 4th, brings Venus to 29 degrees of Taurus–and thus pushes love, relationships, money, possessions, and the senses into some kind of crisis mode. Be aware that the pressure felt is more a chance to review standings in these areas, and less a call to action (or arms!) and you’ll find the benefit in it. The Sagittarius Moon squares Saturn, then Ceres, and brings emotional repercussions from events that occurred with the Ceres/ Saturn exact conjunction, June 27th-29th. These were likely some form of the physical or established order v. nature, with a need for current reality to be re-negotiated. Events of the June period made apparent change, and now we get the emotional results.

We may also see some dust-up between the action urge, the ego, or the aggressive urge as conflict arises from old injury within the intellect, from without as those pushing their own propaganda challenge others intellectually, from trendsetters, or from those who are rebellious and unreliable. This can take an internal or external form, and awareness that the problem sparks mostly out of misdirected or misunderstood energies (with a smattering of those who simply want to take over the minds of the crowd) goes a long way toward preventing reactions that spring from hurt or the subconscious. In it’s most direct form, this can show as the individual v. the group, with very clear-cut differences in needs.

I’m making this weekend sound hellacious, aren’t I? I don’t mean to, really, it’s a function of feeling it’s most important to point out the rough patches–it always seems the good times will take care of themselves! And Sunday isn’t all that different, though we do have some changes that offer results, and maybe reward. The Sag Moon squares Uranus, freshly retro in Pisces, and we are given the opportunity to see how our own rebelliousness or insistence on going our own way could be causing us emotional pain. Venus enters Gemini–and the Venus-oriented among us may get sulky, and possibly wordy (!) as she leaves the luxury and comfort of her Taurean abode. I say, suck it up, Venus! Throw back your cashmere coverlet, get out of your velvet jammies, put aside your bon-bons, hot chocolate, and champagne, and put on an airy summer dress. Go for a walk in the warm breeze, exchange ideas with others, and stop fretting about going without some hedonistic pleasure or other for more than five minutes. A good thought for us all: get out, air out, and take the focus off what we’ve been using lately to satisfy (or is it pacify?) ourselves–you’ll be glad you did.

Our attempts at perking up Venus in her new home may or may not be assisted by the Sun/ Earth axis, as the Earth moves within trine of Saturn, both in Earth signs. On the one hand, this could bring a culmination of sorts to some earthly or material matters, with a resultant reward or satisfying finish. On the other hand it could present us with a strong sense of what we lack materially, and bring forward excessive anxiety. I suppose once again we need to look at Sunday’s events for what they can tell us–because, as Mom and Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626, I remember it like it was yesterday) were wont to say, ‘Knowledge is power.’ Thanks for that, Frank and Irene!

Wow! Just heard that Alaska governor Sarah Palin is resigning her post. Considering the t-square today, and the proximity of this ’surprise’ to the eclipse, I can’t help but think she has something up her sleeve–or should I say, I suspect there’s a whole lot we don’t know that will be coming to light. A lot. Some of which has been rumored for many many months. I may take a look at her chart and come back with comment. Stay tuned!

Lunar Eclipse July 7th 2009

This may be a hangin’ offense, but I’m not only not seeing the upcoming eclipses as linked, I’m looking at them as separate events–and the first one, on the 7th at 2:21 AM PDT (point of the Full Moon, with eclipse beginning slightly after) at 15 Capricorn 24, helps me make my point, as the eclipse bodies make no exact contact to any other body. That doesn’t mean that nothing’s going on; there’s a lot of action, it’s just not related to the eclipse! When an eclipse makes no contact to other bodies, it seems to me to make an isolated energy statement that in effect locates all the eclipse energy and influence within natal contact; in other words, if it doesn’t make close connection to something in the natal chart, it probably won’t be felt at all.

Now, I know that view will be a disappointment to some, heresy to others, and seen as just plain wrong by a few (or many!) but all I can do is go with what I see–so here it is. I believe that other action occurring at the same time as the eclipse could easily be seen as being generated by or triggered by the eclipse–and certainly the extreme energy of an eclipse may influence the atmosphere at least as much as any Moon in hard aspect to the Sun does. That said, I see the significant energy elsewhere, though there are plenty of others who are taking the eclipse in a specific way (such as comparing it to the US chart)  or are seeing it in a broad-pattern of eclipse activity that gives a different and valuable perspective.

Maybe I’m not able to connect to the meaning of this eclipse because it will semi-sextile my Ascendant–maybe the personal effect is that I try to intellectualize (Aquarius) what should be felt–and certainly the effect for me will be to illuminate something about my own personality (Sun quincunx Ascendant). But I digress; here’s where I think the action will be:

Mercury and Vesta will be exactly conjunct on the day of the eclipse, at 7 Cancer. This suggests communication difficulties with many possibilities–and I say difficulties because, even though a conjunction isn’t inherently negative or positive, a union of communication matters with the energy of the sacred implies a likelihood of strong defensiveness concerning one’s message, thoughts, or ideas. We may allow no criticism or disagreement, and may see our pronouncements as inviolate–what we think seems to us to be not just ;the Truth,’ but to represent a concept that may not be challenged–and this is shown further by the Mars exact square to Jupiter/ Neptune and semi-sextile to Uranus, suggesting a hair-triggered (and perhaps intellectually based) readiness to defend our beliefs/ fantasies/ ideals, and also by a Finger of God with Pluto apex and quincunxes to Venus and the South Node that implies it may be values or relationships from the past that bring forward an urge to destruction or change, perhaps aimed at others, who are of course defending those sacred ideas–a roundabout that could become frenetic with the energy of a Full Moon polarity charging the atmosphere.

Also exact at this time is a semi-sextile from Pallas to Saturn that could urge us in the direction of trying to give wisdom or skills a physical manifestation, and a Fist of God with Pallas as apex and sesquiquadrates from Pluto and Juno–here the wisdom or skills we own may require both Self-empowerment and the flexibility to change or transform ourselves or our circumstances in order to effectively come forward.

Overall, I’m expecting a burst of righteous opinion-assertive and defensive energy that plays like the accidental setting-off of leftover 4th of July fireworks–and the odd thing may be that most of us will feel we’re being reasonable, simply standing up for what’s truly important to us. A Cancer/ Capricorn eclipse dichotomy suggests to me the image of water flowing around a rock–no matter how insistent or forceful the flow, the rock is not immediately changed (though it may be lifted and carried to a new place). The Sabian symbol for the lunar eclipse degree (Dane Rudhyar) is ‘School grounds filled with boys and girls in gymnasium suits’ suggesting the need for an organized outlet for physical energy–and perhaps hinting at a way to channel what otherwise might cause strife and discord (possibly of an adolescent variety, as referenced by the image) if left on its own.

The Sabian for the Sun at the eclipse point is ‘A man studying a mandala in front of him, with the help of a very ancient book’  To my mind this points to Pallas’ active role at the moment of eclipse, implying that accessing wisdom (no matter the source) is what’s needed to fathom the meaning of the Universal pattern worked out before us, the mandala of the image.

As I look around and find material on the eclipse I’ll add links; start with this one by Jude Cowell http://judecowell.wordpress.com/2009s-two-solar-eclipses-11-north11-south-jan-july/ and for another view, try Beth Turnage’s site http://www.astrologyexplored.com/july-monthly-forecast-the-eclipse-is-coming-the-eclipse-is-coming/ and here from Lauren Lesko http://laurenlesko.com/6573

June 29th-July 5th: Discontent of the Masses

Of course, the masses are made up of individuals, and that means we may be stirred, shocked, or disgusted by the large scale discontent we see, while being restless and out of sorts ourselves–and few of us will make the connection between our own complaints (which seem so justified!) and those we observe in and identify with groups (which run the gamut from righteous to ridiculous). If we can understand the connection we will see the state of the masses within ourselves, our issues a microcosm of the world, and vice versa, with the world reflecting back to us a new perspective on our own gripes and attitudes. A handy mechanism, if we can gain the needed objectivity.

The matters at hand promise big (or big feeling) unrest. We’ll see discord between those who fundamentally differ, with social norms upsetting personal values and challenging our desire for action, and with some an almost compulsive need to act and react from injury, with a smattering of those who insist on allowing delusions free rein. We may not like what the group has to say, and they will resist us, too, though in some way we may accept group standards as our own without even realizing it. This is all seated in Venus/ Mars square Jupiter, Neptune, Chiron, and in Mercury square Uranus and trine the lingering threesome. Some will go for the shock value of words and pronouncements, some will speak from a place of unconscious defensiveness, but most will simply feel a sense of revelation, either in their own character, the personality of the group, or in relationships, particularly the man-woman kind.

Late on the 28th we get the lead-in to the week with the Libra Moon square the Sun/ Earth axis, Pluto, and Vesta. It’s a T-square that brings emotionally trying episodes as sacred lines are crossed (or decimated) and where we question the effectiveness of our choices. The need for being aware of priorities, home and those things we find important, prompts transformations–so though the period itself may be uncomfortable, the results will be for the better.

On the 29th we still have Saturn/ Ceres exactly conjunct, sesquiquadrate the North Node, and we continue to deal with the interplay of nature and reality, and its consequences to our life direction. By the 30th the Moon is in Scorpio, square the Nodes, sextile Pluto, then trine Vesta and the Sun, and the emotions open up to and dissect the life direction and the effects of the past and how they’ve created/ changed our lives, and we see, whether the events in mind were considered positive or negative at the time, how they’ve shaped and benefited our identity and the ‘home’ (the spiritual climate) we respond to and have created. A fine moment of understanding, if we are able to ’sit’ with and accept our depths.

On July 1st Mercury is exact trine Chiron/ Neptune/ Jupiter and square Juno, and the information flies–sorting fact from fiction, truth from delusion, things meant from things meant only to injure, and messages sent by the Collective/ group for its own good, not ours, are to be expected. There are challenges to empowerment, but remember, these are mostly straw dogs, not capable of actual harm, so reactions should be kept in check, as should impulse.

July 2nd begins a trine of the Earth to Saturn, and a Fist of God, with Pallas apex sesquiquadrate Pluto and Juno. This lasts through the 8th. Reality and the material situation are front and center, and we have the wisdom to go forward and make good choices, but destructive impulses/ forces and the need to feel powerful (as opposed to actually being powerful) will exert their influence and cause a sense of crisis and perhaps push us to behave badly. Keeping our heads, while not allowing the material circumstances with which we’re dealing to seem too important, is vital. This is the time to access our spiritual sustenance, to contemplate it all from a larger perspective that, ironically, will keep us grounded and sensible.

On July 3rd Juno enters Aries. Her vibe becomes assertive–this is good for those anima oriented among us who have difficulty thinking of their own welfare first, or who find it hard to speak out, but will cause those naturally more attuned to Martian energies to perhaps overstep or overdo, mostly in an attempt to simply express autonomy or to make their position clear. Cut everybody a little slack as we all adjust to this new influence.

By the 4th Mercury enters Cancer and opposes Pluto, and soothing words may actually cause change or destroy, while nurturing messages may not sit well with the powerful, or with those looking for transformation. The unifying idea here is that there’s something pernicious or destructive behind the coddling–’smother love’ and the insidious underlying tone don’t last, but are prominent for the moment (and so, those who choose this time to make contact or send their message are, consciously or not, aligned with this intent). A late addendum: since this is the date of the US independence celebration, I’m thinking we may see some especially destructive results of fireworks and other traditional activities/ displays, especially to the family/ home. Of course, this won’t happen to everyone, but may be such that it touches the national consciousness. We’ll see!

June 22nd-28th: A Weird and Frisky Week

We start off the week with the energy of the frisky New Moon, lustifying our interactions and perhaps romanticizing our viewpoint. Not a bad way to kick things off, it’s just that I have the feeling the coming week will be weird–not weird scary or weird freaky, but weird as in the old English or Norse sense; we don’t have a word anymore that directly corresponds to this, some combination of karma, fate, the timing of synchronicity, and it all carries a sense that the energy must be respected, that it is imbued with an aura of the sacred. To my mind it’s the energy that fed the legends of the gods, a perspective that feels an intangible current running through the Collective (and so each individual) that is like a living thing itself, acting in the life as a power that must be discerned, negotiated, considered at every turn–and so could be perceived as the will of god-Beings, played out mysteriously in everyday events and choices, speaking to us–and as always the question is, do we listen?

John Waterhouse 'The Magic Circle'

We begin with Juno as body of latest degree (except for those quick glances that last degree receives from the Moon), signalling that Self-empowerment issues will permeate everything. We also see a long-lasting (through the 27th) sesquiquadrate of Venus/ Mars to Earth, suggesting that though we may perceive polarities as united, we’ll witness an ongoing struggle to adapt what the allies see as harmony to the material realities–this is a bit of a wake-up call for those who insist they’ve got ‘it’ worked out, as it says we’re ignoring some important physical facets of the matter.

The 22nd has something almost alchemical about it–we’ve done the astrology to death for this, so let’s just mention two aspects in support of our weird energy: sesquiquadrates of Saturn and Ceres to the North Node, and the Moon, Vesta, and Sun quincunx the North Node. It’s the feeling, the chill, the intuition, the premonition that gets us to adjust, adjust, adjust, and rightly so, as the Universe is giving us a tremendous amount of guiding energy.

By the 23rd the Moon moves along and alters, but doesn’t break, the spell, as she briefly takes her place at the midpoint of the trine between Venus/ Mars and Ceres/ Saturn. We get an emotional window into our place in the scheme of things, as we weigh relationship and the ‘I am’ against nature and reality. The 23rd also sees Pallas begin a running sesquiquadrate with Uranus, which suggests that our unique impulses toward Self-expression will definitely need to adjust to what we know to be wise, as well as to our actual skill level.

The 24th the Moon enters Leo and conjuncts the South Node. It could be deja vu all over again, a trip down memory lane, or a re-visiting of old patterns and mistakes, but in any case the days events will leave an emotional impact that affects words, thoughts, and ideas about the future (Mercury sesquiquadrate the North Node).

Keep in mind that much of what we’ve already talked about will continue through the week; so now we jump to the 28th, when Venus comes within square of The Three Stooges–can you tell I’m tired of the roadshow of Jupiter, Neptune, and Chiron? We’ve likely wrung the good out of them at this point, so that their lingering togetherness acts for most as a subliminal pitfall waiting to happen, with the trinity’s exaggerated tendency toward delusion and hurt always in the background; and with Venus now involved, we may see it all as fresh wounding or illusion in relationships or finances, or those matters related to our talents. Stick to ideals and refuse to take ‘it’ personally, and you’ll avoid the worst this aspect has to offer and, with any luck, bring forward a Chirotic skill or two.

The 28th we also have Mercury semi-sextile Mars, and this may urge us to express aggression–whether we’re aware our words are angry or not. It’ll only last about a day, so keep ego and mouth in check for best results.

I told you this would be a weird week

The Nature of Eros

Let’s get something straight: Eros is not an uncontrollable, primal response that arises unbidden, ethereal as an instinct; it’s also not a spontanous indicator, either by its presence in the psyche or the natal chart, of a force of lust that promises ultimate sexual satisfaction. To see it as designating ‘the erotic’ is also a disservice, as that puts the function of Eros outside the Self–and it definitely is intimate. The thing is, Eros is an energy that is very much under the individual’s control, at least in the sense that it isn’t something that wells up and overtakes us with no ryhme or reason. We have many clues about this in the story of the demi-god Eros and how he falls in love with the mortal Psyche. He accidently shoots himself with a magical arrow, and the first thing he sees after the accident is the beautiful Psyche, with whom he is then totally smitten.

There are a couple of points here: a device, albeit a magical one, is the initiator of Eros’ love–and that suggests that, though the experience has a magical, out-of-the-blue quality for the individual, it’s really quite deliberate: one must choose the arrow in the first place, one must choose a target and aim, one must shoot–all conscious choices; it’s a fluke that Eros was the recipient of the magical-feeling energy. He’d actually been tasked by his mother, Venus, to shoot Psyche with the arrow while she was in proximity to a beastly and repulsive man, for Venus believed that Psyche would be rejected by the rest of humanity if she chose as a mate someone others found unacceptable.

So, the energy of the arrow made Eros passionately desire Psyche; not fall in lust, not just want to have sex with, but long for her in a consuming way–and it’s part of the Eros experience that one finds a certain satisfaction just in the stirring of the erotic energy–that itself is pleasurable, aside from anything else. We also note that because Eros sees Psyche and wants her, in a very straightforward way, he has in essence objectified her–she becomes the object that receives his erotic energy.

This is an extremely important point, and I believe the heart of understanding Eros and the erotic: the experience of Eros is contained in the way an individual fixes attention on someone or something (and here we can see that Eros is also responsible for fetishism) and imbues the person or thing with erotic energy and feeling. The erotic energy comes from within the individual; and a choice is made as to the object upon which (or whom) one will fix this erotic feeling. This implies that the Eros experience is mental, in spite of its magical and very exciting quality (and this, of course, is the very quality that persuades us there is something otherworldly, fated, or destined in that which we find erotic).

There’s another point to be gleaned from the story of Eros: yearning to connect with (really to become one with, which is certainly why the Eros energy typically takes a sexual form) the woman Psyche necessitated Eros break from Venus (which Eros did by hiding his paramour from his mother–so his reaction to forming a new kind of relationship, a sexual one, was not mature)–and that suggests that in order to experience Eros we must actually separate from our typical way of forming relationships, even of loving, that passion is not love–showing us again that we cannot truly love what we objectify, simply because the thing objectified becomes a servant to our own erotic needs, and thus cannot be related to as an equal would be in a healthy relationship.

Examples of Eros in action, along with the full story of Eros, Venus, and Psyche, are available in my book THE ASTROLOGY OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP  http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com  Thanks, have a great Friday, and come back for the Weekend Forecast!

Spooning By the New Moon in June

This month’s New Moon occurs on the 22nd at 12:34 PM PDT at 1 Cancer 30, and makes only a few aspects. Two contacts have a less than one degree orb, a conjunction to Vesta and an opposition to Pluto. This paints a very interesting energy picture, where we might see the melding of the New Moon in Cancer energy with the sacred feeling, sense of ‘home,’ and potential for sexual expression and then juxtaposed against the Plutonian darkness–the ‘bad guys’ are out there, and we’re cozy at home, curled up before the fire. It’s a lovely image of nurture and inclusion, and we should certainly feel free to enjoy the feeling, to spoon to our heart’s content–but we must also keep in mind that it’s dangerous to disown or deny our own darker aspects. Pluto enjoys a spot before the hearth in every home, as well, and only the dangerously naive or boldly arrogant claim “I would never . . .!” when it comes to the Plutonian urge. So, celebrate the warm and fuzzies that will come with the June New Moon, but be aware that we all hold that Plutonian potential, the seeds of disintegration–making this New Moon feeling all the more delicious in its contradiction of the dark.

Of course, the New Moon/ Sun will conjunct Vesta and oppose Pluto (and Earth), and at just over one degree variation forms a quincunx to the North Node, and one big possibility here is that there’ll be a lot of sex, the kind that actually causes us to adjust our life direction (if only by reinforcing a previous commitment, though making a new commitment is a possiblity, as well, with new intentions and directions ‘birthed’ by the New Moon energy) and this potential is magnified by the meeting of Venus and Mars in Taurus trine Saturn in Virgo–Earthy vibes are everywhere, and the sensual, caring, and nurturing facets of sex and relationship permeate the worlds of those open to it. It’s a cosmic recipe for stable, dependable, yet exciting love and congress–and only the unfortunate few disconnected from or disowning their sexual nature will miss out.

And see a beautiful take on love and spoons (a bit more literal than mine!) here http://bitze.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/welsh-love-spoon/

June 15th-21st: Turn It Around

Whatever direction we’ve been going, we’ll have to do a little backtracking with Jupiter’s turnaround to retrograde (the 15th at 12:49 AM PDT at 27 Aquarius o1). This occurs just, it seems, as we’re getting a little taste of independence and expanding effectively, so may be a bit frustrating; but never fear, the Universe works to our benefit, even if we can’t immediately recognize this. Jupiter’s exact re-connect with long-time partners Chiron and Neptune gives us a new perspective on an energy combination we’ve been living with for some time; in fact, we may have begun to process this influence as if it’s a given, as if our own particular blend of hurt/ wound/ healing energy/ skill/ delusion/ illusion/ fantasy/ ideals is just the way ‘it’ is, all the time. This retrograde contact points out that this influence is not permanent, and shows us how we can best deal with the complacency we may have fallen into; it particularly points up the assumptions we may have made regarding the Chiron/ Neptune combination as it relates directly to who we are, and to the place we see ourselves as holding within society (Jupiter), and the potential here is to let us know what we’ve been ‘broadcasting’ (Jupiter) that we may not have intended, or that may not fit our Self-image (as well as the reality of who we are) at all. It may also point out what we do want to project, image and ideal-wise, and so can allow us to get a renewed view on what we may have been too close to see accurately of late.

We also have Mercury freshly into its own sign of Gemini, and the first thing it does is quincunx retro Pluto (late the 15th PDT)–talk about poking the sleeping beast in the eye! It’s not quite that bad, though we have been enjoying some respite from the recent traumatic change of sign for Pluto–he’s finally beginning to feel at home, and then the Trickster comes along for a little ‘fun.’ We can be thankful their contact is brief; watch your ‘p’s and ‘q’s and your temper, as Merc feeling at home means the mind can spark and the mouth run even before we know what we’re thinking–and coupled with Pluto, there’s lots of potential to expose (even inadvertently) secrets, to poke at a hurt, to mock another’s hidden vulnerability, and thereby stir the Darkness. So keep a lid on it.

On the 15th the Moon hits Juno and Uranus in Pisces (late afternoon/early evening PDT) and we should be prepared for small emotional rebellions or expressions of empowerment. Recognizing this element of an event that occurs at this time may explain a great deal about the motives of those involved.

The 17th we have perfection of the Mars/ Ceres trine, and Vesta hits the 29th degree of Gemini; likely manifestations include actions on behalf of or in co-operation with Mother Nature, aggressive negotiations, the collaboration of the assertive and the receptive, the spark of inspiration and the fertile receptacle or ground, the male and female, even Mom and Dad (or a maternal figure and a masculine one). Vesta at this point adds an urgency to honoring, expressing, or defining what’s sacred, to the home, and to the sex life (or any fertile and expressive exchange). If you need to pinpoint a day to make your case, or a big push forward, I would recommend today–energies will muster naturally and supportively behind the assertive effort.

Also on the 17th there is perfection of the Juno/ Uranus T-square with the Sun/ Earth axis. This should be the high water mark for empowerment efforts. The trick here is to move toward maximum Self-empowerment without slipping into rebellion for rebellion’s sake, or mistaking trendiness for originality–easily avoided if we know ourselves (Sun) and have a realistic picture of our material situation (Earth).

By the 19th Vesta moves into Cancer and quincunxes the North Node. Nurturing and its consequences (or those arising from a lack of nurture) will become prominent, and there may be a flurry of reassessments and rearranging related to home, family, and sacred institutions. Also today Venus trines Ceres; those attuned to nature may profit, relationships to the maternal will flourish (and by this I mean, those relationships to that which nurtures/ mothers–and mere biological role doesn’t guarantee a positive relationship with this aspect, so if you are in this position and the nurturee doesn’t appreciate you, perhaps you should consider that what you’re actually handing out may not be nurture at all), and successful relationship negotiation can be achieved.

Dark of the Moon begins evening of the 19th, ushering in a period of reflection, meditation, rest. Over the next few days a much less assertive posture than we took at the beginning of the week is advisable.

Late on the 20th-21st Venus and Mars finally get together, and the meeting should take the pressure off. Also the 20th sees Mercury sextile Pallas–this is a day when we can all feel (and be!) smart, so take advantage of it.

By the 21st the Sun enters Cancer and Earth Capricorn, changing the tenor of our days. I think the watchword for this period may be sustenance; expect the coming month to shine a light on what sustains us, in all the forms it may take, and to spend a good portion of our time measuring what we’ve got, what we need, and what we can give.

June 8th-14th: Smart and Subtle

The energies for the coming week will likely take a subtle course, despite some emotional upheaval and in spite of any overt action–the vibe is that things will happen, if not below consciousness, then at least in a way that keeps us from being entirely aware of them (or, where we’re not really concerned with them). We see values, relationships, and money making insistent inroads on consciousness–every time we think we can lighten up, or feel that things are going well, ‘blips’ come up on our radar that indicate a big, submerged iceberg of issues and feelings below the little frosty blue tip that we see–so at least this much we’ll be aware of, though many may choose to ignore indicators and go along as if the blip only represents itself–which will suffice for the present, but could cause real damage later.

But is it necessarily better to go spelunking into the depths of things right now, especially when it might be tough to determine the real extent or origin of issues? Sometimes the watch-and-wait strategy really is best. The ignorers may have a good survival point; so, to each her own inclination, with the appropriate consequences as a result.

The 8th Venus trines Pluto, and by 5 PM PDT the Moon conjuncts Pluto–and we note Pallas is square Venus (and quincunx Pluto) and the Earth is sesquiquadrate Venus. We know the smart thing to do, and yet there are hidden (or perhaps just unadmitted) influences that easily affect our moods, our values, and the way we wish to order the material situation. Each likely responds according to his natal attitude (plus any current influences) toward relationships (or money or values) in general, so that we can take advantage of this as a way of seeing through our own (natural) avoidances and subterfuge to our real feelings and beliefs about these Venusian subjects.

By the 9th we have now-direct Mercury square Neptune/ Jupiter/ Chiron and sextile Uranus, suggesting a moment of truth (or delusion) reflected in communications that bring sudden (and possibly public) knowledge to the forefront. We also see the Earth as the apex of a Fist of God involving Pallas and Venus, which brings a need to resolve conflict (hinted at or presented a day or two previously)–the values, feelings about relationships, and/ or money/assets picture is in direct conflict with what we know to be wise, and potentially with the real-world skills we possess (see Merc/ Neptune etc possibilities, above) and the proof, one way or another, is in the material situation this supports/ fosters.

There is another unusual thing worth noting, not a full configuration, but a kind of daisy chain of semi-squares (some of which have been aspecting each other for a time) reaching from Saturn, to the South Node, to the Sun, to Venus/ Mars, to Juno, though Juno and Saturn do not oppose each other, due to ‘degree drift’ as we move from point to point. This suggests that, when we’re dealing with the one or more of these transiting energies as they interact with some natal planet or point, we may feel the dissonant effect of all of them, reverberating down the line. This may give anomalous outcomes and freak effects of all kinds, that have origins that are not readily apparent, but obvious when we follow the chain reaction.

The 10th, roughly 5:30 PM PDT the Capricorn Moon quincunxes Vesta in Gemini and sextiles Uranus, forcing the emotions to adjust to what’s sacred to the individual, to the home circumstances, and possibly to the sexual needs, and all of it through sudden situation, perhaps a rebellion (thrown by the Self or witnessed), or pressure from the group.

By the 11th it might be a good time to note that, if we don’t count asteroids or Nodes, Saturn sits alone in Virgo, with all other major energies within 180 degrees on the other side of the flat chart, bracketed by the Sun in Gemini/ Earth in Sagittarius axis. This stands out now perhaps because other energies either continue much as they have long-term (like Jup/ Nep/ Chiron) or ‘take a break,’ and this leaves an energy opening to notice vibrational anomalies, to allow them to come forward and speak. Here Saturn may be, in some way in each of our lives, sitting off by its lonesome, as it doesn’t make many aspects; we may be essentially ignoring reality, the material situation, the need for Self-discipline, rules, and boundaries, and yet these are, in a completely unacknowledged way, the centerpiece of why we’re doing, thinking, and reacting as we are. So take a look at Saturn as it speaks in your natal chart at present, and give the Saturnian principles a little love in your everyday life, so that there’s a clearer connect between what’s materially in front of us and what we’re trying to create.

The 12th sees Jupiter move to 27 Aquarius and make exact trine withVesta, helping us align belief with the sacred, the social with what’s most important and vital to us (with ‘home’), and allowing expansion in all Vesta areas–it’s a minor twitch in the sky, but when we think of how those three (Nep/ Jup/ Chiron) have been melded for so long, we see that a break in the ranks can bring significant change. Jupiter is stationing for next week’s retrograde, and this, too, helps it break from the pack; suddenly Jupiterian interests are not necessarily those of Neptune and Chiron, and we should all feel a little bit more freedom because of this.

By the 13th Mercury enters Gemini (7:35 PM PDT) and we all get our gab on–exploit the energy of Gemini in the natal chart, going forward in communicating and otherwise thinking about/ dealing with the matters of the Houses Gemini rules in the horoscope, as Mercury his own sign makes us adept and comfortable with communication matters, and with the matters he’s in charge of through House rulership. The only caution is for those who have a natally afflicted Mercury, who may now charge forward, hopping along with foot-in-mouth. For them, this is a chance to practice using the energy to allow the quick thought but to practice stopping it and vetting it before it moves out into the world–this is possible as mental matters will, for most, be very clear at this time.

The 14th watch for the Moon’s opposition to Saturn to make for circumstances of ’showdown,’ even if they’re only internal. The real and the emotional face-off and we must see both for what they are, and what they imply, and be willing to be honest about each in choosing how to react.

See my latest post here http://askjulie.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/finding-whats-hidden-pluto-contacts/ and submit your relationship questions!

Full Moon 7 June: When God Insists

See my latest at http://askjulie.wordpress.com ‘When He’s In Love: How to Tell, How to React’ Pt. 3 Sagittarius through Pisces

The Full Moon of June 7th falls at 17 Sagittarius 07 at 11:11 AM PDT, and naturally conjuncts the Earth. On this day the Moon/ Earth combo, or the Sun, is involved in several configurations known as Fists of God. This config consists of an apex point that is sesquiquadrate to other points, which are square each other. With a configuration where all angles are ‘hard,’ we can surmise that the effect will be one of Universal insistence, with the events and choices forced with a kind of divine inevitability, and certainly the name of this pattern suggests the forceful Will of some powerful deity expressed.

The central Fist has the Moon/ Earth conjunction (17 Sagittarius 07) at its apex, with sesquiquadrates from the South Node and Pallas(at 00 and 01 Leo, respectively) and Venus at 01 Taurus. Here we see the culmination of forces that have been building for some time (at least a symbolic month, as the Full Moon is the completion point of the Lunar cycle); the energies involved suggest the past and what we’ve learned from it that we know to be wise (SN, Pallas) will conflict with our current values, relationships, and/ or ability to earn/ prosper, and the disparity will be acted out through the emotional repercussions and effects of the material choices and situation (Moon + Earth).

We must remember that this Full Moon occurs about two days post perfection of a Sun/ Earth axis T-square formed with Saturn in Virgo, and this says that we have likely just faced squarely the reality of the effectiveness of our choices as they are shown by the expression of the Soul and the Material circumstances we’ve built–we’ve seen how well our life is reflecting the intents of the Soul, and we’ve gotten a glimpse of how well the physical situation serves the manifestation of those intents–so we are well aware of where we might be falling short, and in what areas we’re meeting the Soul’s needs. Now, with the Full Moon, the Universe comes along and makes some forceful statements (the Fists) and we must respond.

There is another Fist of God with Venus in Taurus as the apex, the other involved energies being Saturn square the Moon/ Earth. This tells us that other pressures focused through the reality situation and the emotional repercussions of this must be worked out through either a values adjustment, through relationships, or through a change in the earnings/ asset picture.

We also have another Fist with the North Node as apex, and sesquiquadrates to Saturn and the Sun in Gemini, and this one suggests that our destined direction will have to contend with some bumps in the form of discrepancies between the intended direction and reality (Saturn) and the obstacles this may place in our path, and it may become apparent that both these areas (intended direction and the reality situation) are in some degree of conflict with the Soul’s intent, and these matters receive a spotlight (Sun) that makes the difficulties glaringly obvious.

Overall, this says that the majority of us will be getting a reality check, in one form or another (likely either Venusian–relationships, assets, or values related–or in the effectiveness of our reality structure) and this review will be unavoidable. The severity of the situation, or the depth of the upset involved, may be to some extent fueled by the ongoing Chiron/ Neptune/ Jupiter conjunction, as this has encouraged an exaggerated conception of woundedness–some have been looking for hurt from without out of a hyper-sensitive projection of responsibility (see some possibillities here http://juliedemboski.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/neptune-chiron-projection-hurt-and-ownership/)– others have experienced injury to the social ideals, and are struggling with adjustments to their social role, and to the change in their feeling about society itself. Those who will weather the Full Moon life assessment best are those who’ve taken these conjunction energies and applied the positive ideals (Neptune) to the unique skills (Chiron) and offered them in some form to the social sphere (Jupiter). The Full Moon offers an excellent point for accurate course correction–let’s take it!

Here’s the take on the Full Moon for our country http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/2009/06/full-moon-18sag-june-7-2009-washington.html

And check out–and possibly participate in–this intriguing experiment http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/twitter-experiment-starts-today/ Is it just a coincidence (but we don’t believe in those, do we?) that Mr. Wiseman waited for Mercury’s direction to begin?

June 1st-7th: The Cost of Our Fantasies

We start off both the week and the month with a Moon/ Sun trine in Air, which may give us the impression that we’ve got ‘it’ all under control–there’s nothing better than feeling mentally sound and organized (must be my seven Air placements–four planets, two asteroids, and the ASC–talking!)–though the down side is this feeling may be disconnected from whatever else is going on.

The 1st initiates us into some extended upcoming activity with Venus, first when she makes a sextile to the Chiron/ Neptune/ Jupiter conjunction. This will begin a period that lasts through the 8th where we will learn the cost of having our fantasies realized, reap the rewards of following our ideals, know the value of allowing healing and reaching out to others, and will have the price of our indulgences in delusion, deception, or what we pay as victim of these, become unavoidably clear–then it will take a new tack through the 20th as she approaches conjunction with Mars (more on this later).

By the 2nd we see Mars in Taurus square the Nodal axis, bringing us face to face with the connection of the Will to both the events of the past and the future we’re creating–leaving us with something to think about, and by the 3rd, when Mars trines Pluto, we’ll easily see just what we need to change (in our approach, choices, or ego stance )to get us where we want to go.

The 3rd also has the Moon opposed Mars, signalling emotional feedback about our actions and decisions, andwe add this to the still-formed T-square with the Nodes–and the emotional component of our choices becomes obvious. Pallas moves into Leo and conjuncts the South Node, so that we have both the courage (Leo) and the wisdom (Pallas) with which to sort feeling from need and to proceed as we know we should.

By the 5th Saturn in Virgo is in a T-square with the Sun/ Earth axis, and we can expect either the materialization of an important step forward, or a significant roadblock in the direction we’re intending to go. The details of the situation will make it abundantly clear which is happening for you–effective response is based in being willing to see and deal with the reality we’re being presented.

The 6th Venus moves into Taurus, and gains her bearings, as well as significant strength. Our values are clearer and more solidly grounded, easily accessible to us and worth our attention. She moves toward conjunction with Mars–by the time the aspect perfects (on the 20th) we’ll experience a supremacy of the receptive, female-oriented, ‘being’ energies over the aggressive, male-oriented, ‘doing’ energies. It’s a time to glory in the Venusian, and to use all our connections to her (natal Venus, aspects, Houses she rules, and those bodies in her signs of Taurus and Libra) to realize fully in our lives what this energy offers. With this result in mind, we should allow the time from the 1st to the 20th to build toward a Venus result, probably primarily in the matters of the House where Venus is now transiting.

And, though it’s past our projection period, also watch for, on the 8th, Venus trine Pluto, the Moon conjunct Pluto, and Pallas quincunx Pluto. This will be another trigger point in the Venus saga, and should signal a cleaning out and threshing down to the important Venus points for each of us–and the Moon will show the emotional repercussions, while Pallas applies her wisdom to guide us through what must be changed, discarded, re-formed, or must rise again in a new form.

See and buy my work at http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com and visit my relationship blog http://askjulie.wordpress.com Thanks, and have a great week!